For the Savvy Real Estate Mind

Eric Lefkofsky, an American entrepreneur, was born in 1969. He was raised in Michigan. Eric went to Southfield-Lathrup High School where he graduated in 1987. He then attended the University of Michigan. In 1991, Lefkofsky graduated with honors. He finished his higher learning with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree in 1993 at the University of Michigan Law School.

Erick Lefkofsky started his entrepreneurial career by selling carpets when he was a freshman at the University of Michigan. After completing law school, Eric and his long-time friend Bradley Keywell borrowed some funds and bought Brandon Apparel in 1994. The company did not grow as expected and after five years the two friends started Starbelly. Starbelly was an Internet company that focused on promotional products. They sold Starbelly later for about a quarter of a million dollars. Subsequent creation, selling and buying of one firm after another led to Eric cofounding Groupon. It is from Groupon that Eric made most of his wealth.

Recently Eric formed health-tech startup known as tempus.com. The primary purpose of this company is to help doctors and other medical professionals make real-time and data-driven decisions based on analysis of a patient’s genetic code. In short, Tempus makes it easier for healthcare professionals develop better plans and treatment procedures for patients. At the moment Tempus is working with people affected by pancreatic, lung and breast cancer. However, it expects to add more types of cancer in the future.

According to crunchbase.com, Eric and his wife Elizabeth have frequently donated to different cancer causes through the Lefkofsky Family Foundation. Through this charitable trust, they have helped over 50 organizations. The areas where they have focused on includes education, health, arts and culture, human rights and technology. Most of the education initiatives that they support are based in Chicago and its environs. Their health donations have not been confined to Chicago only but everywhere across the country. Eric Lefkofsky has at one point given about 1.2 million dollars to the University of Michigan’s health system. As with education, Eric and Elizabeth have focused giving money for arts and culture in their hometown with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company receiving the largest amount of seven million dollars.